Dr. Ji Hyun Kim

JI HYUN KIM

An Australian-American violinist, Dr. Ji Hyun Kim, is a sought-after soloist, chamber and orchestral musician, educator, and music director. Born in South Korea and raised in New Zealand and Australia, Ji Hyun’s multicultural background has shaped her dynamic and diverse musical career.

Ji Hyun received a Bachelor of Music Performance from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Australia, and completed her Master and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees at Michigan State University, with cognate studies in Contemporary Art Music, Viola Performance, and Music Therapy. She also has worked closely and performed with renowned violinists, conductors, and educators including Vladimir Ashkenazy, Jonna Arthur, Kolja Blacher, Wolfram Christ, Youngwoo Chun, Yuri Gandelsman, Richard Gill, Raphael Jimenéz, Christopher Kimber, Jin-Kyoung Lee, Mary O’Brien, Imre Palló, Walter Verdehr, and Wanda Wilkomirska. Her doctoral research, “Thinking Outside the Chamber: Revolutionary Revivals of the String Quartet Medium in North America since the Late Twentieth Century,” is listed in the Doctoral Dissertations in Musicology database of the American Musicological Society.

As an acclaimed violinist, Ji Hyun has made numerous media appearances worldwide and performed in major cities in South Korea, New Zealand, Australia, New Caledonia, Luxembourg, Austria, and the United States. Her live and recorded performances have been featured on New Zealand’s TV3 National News, Australia’s ABC Classic FM and SBS Korean Radio, and Michigan’s WKAR and WILX Broadcast. Ji Hyun’s outstanding musicality was recognized through her success in both national and international competitions hosted by the Kaleidoscope Performing Arts Foundation, Yamaha Music Society, Chamber Music New Zealand, Sydney Eisteddfod, International Grieg Society, and the International Golden Classical Music Awards. Ji Hyun also served as concertmaster and principal violinist of various ensembles and orchestras including the Ad Libitum, Musique 21, Sydney Sinfonia, Vianden Summer Music Festival Orchestra, Society of International Music Artist Orchestra, Lansing Symphony Orchestra, Jackson Symphony Orchestra, and Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra.

As a dedicated educator, Ji Hyun has traveled nationally and internationally to adjudicate in auditions and competitions, present lecture-recitals and master classes, give chamber and orchestral clinics, and lead interdisciplinary workshops for various audiences. She also served as an Artist-Teacher in Residence of the Jackson Symphony Orchestra Community Music School, where she designed and developed the curriculum of String Team, a satellite string program for the local elementary schools. During the pandemic, Ji Hyun was appointed as the violin faculty of the Oakland Youth Symphony Orchestras, coaching the talented young violinists through weekly virtual sectionals in preparation for a series of online performances. Ji Hyun has also been invited as the conductor-clinician for the annual MSBOA Middle School String Orchestra Clinics. During Summer, Ji Hyun teaches and performs at the MASTA Summer String Camp as the Violin Faculty.
In addition to performing and teaching, she has been sought after as an adjudicator for various festivals, competitions, and auditions including the MSBOA Solo & Ensemble Festival, ENKOR International Competition, Central Michigan University’s Concerto Competition, Oakland Youth Orchestra Concerto Competition, Michigan ArtWorks Competition, LSO Young Artist Competition, Don Heckinlively Music Performance Competition, and the Lansing Symphony and Jackson Symphony’s String Auditions. Ji Hyun also has served as one of the mentors for the Your Music Business student projects at Michigan State University’s College of Music and Broad College of Business.

Ji Hyun is the Founder and Artistic Director of ConTempus Initiative, a Michigan-based contemporary music collective committed to presenting creative and collaborative performances of music by diverse living composers and overlooked women composers to connect with today’s audiences. Determined to cultivate more engaging composer-performer-audience relationships through new music that is relatable and accessible, Ji Hyun has premiered multiple works by both professional and student composers in more unconventional and inclusive settings, collaborated with contemporary jazz and world-music ensembles, and presented interdisciplinary and community-enriching concert programs with various artists, chefs, storytellers, and dancers. Notable performances include collaborations with the Detroit Institute of Arts, Artlab J Dance Company, Michigan State University, Spring Arbor University, Albion College, Flint Institute of Music, City of East Lansing, Lansing Symphony Orchestra, Jackson Symphony Orchestra, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, Big Rapids Festival of the Arts, and many more.

In 2021, Ji Hyun joined Albion College Music Department as the Director of Orchestras and Visiting Assistant Professor of Violin and Viola. Prior to joining Albion College, Ji Hyun served as the Director of String Orchestra and Assistant Professor of Violin and Viola at Spring Arbor University. As an advocate for “cultivating a culture of belongingness through embracing our differences,” Ji Hyun continues her effort to program diverse and inclusive repertoire, promote a positive and respectful learning and performing environment, and foster a broader understanding of the ever-expanding collaborative and entrepreneurial prospects in the music profession.